The title is just provisory(or not)
a rather long SFW bit of the story
also i has ko-fi! nothing too big planned for it yet
https://ko-fi.com/loafywolfy

Prologue

Hours had passed since they came to the hospital, and as far as they knew, their baby daughter would come out the same way as they had seen her on the ultrasound machine. She would be a pale child, brown eyes just like their mother, or maybe her hair would be as curly as her father’s, their doctor praised their prenatal precautions and he was present in the delivery room. Little Sarah’s room was beautifully set up in their home, and gifts from the baby shower were organized in their closet, there was nothing else to do but wait.
Robert had come right after receiving a call in his clinic that his wife was in labor, as a veterinarian he understood that the situation could either get worse at any moment or go on without trouble, and so he paced along the corridor, stopping nearby the door every time he heard a noise that seemed out of place. He realized another hour had passed on his watch and sighed, each extra hour added to the chances that something was going wrong and made him overthink about all that could happen to his baby girl and wife.
Robert thought about the recent litter his retriever, Clover, gave birth to not even ten days ago, if only this one could be as safe and uncomplicated as that one had been, and all of them as happy and healthy as Clover and her pups.
A nurse came out of the door, and so he walked over to her with a nervous smile and a face full of sweat, asking how things were going in there. The nurse looked dazed, not the face of someone carrying bad news but that still gave him chills. What was going on? He asked her one more time and gently touched her by the shoulder. She finally paid attention to him but only mumbled a few things and hurriedly walked away, leaving the corridor by the set of double doors behind him.
Robert knocked on the door, the gravity of the situation not yet leading him to disrupt an entire medical team, after all, he was trained by the same standards. No one answered at that moment.
He heard a strange whine come out of the room, it did not come from a baby, he was sure it was from a dog, but how?
Robert knocked again.
“hello?” He shouted twice, his voice breaking.
The door opened, and their doctor was now in front of him, gesturing him to come in and telling him to be quiet.
“Robert?” His wife shouted as he entered the room. “Robert they won’t let me see Sarah, tell them they can’t do this, Robert!”
A nurse was bent down by her side trying to calm her down but it was obvious that her state was the only thing preventing her from jumping out of bed. Robert nervously waved at her and walked over to the other side of the room, where a group of doctors, nurses and hospital staff were having a quiet discussion, frantically whispering to one another.
“Why are we wasting time with this?” One said, frantically pointing back to the woman. “We must keep looking for the baby, she was in the ultrasound!”
“There is no way we are doing that again, we were so lucky she had a healthy birth or she wouldn't have lasted this long with how much time we wasted!” Said another.
“Please keep your voice down,” Said their doctor. “I suppose we should brief the father on what's going on before proceeding.” The man turned to him, and gently pushed the others apart so Robert could take a look at what they were examining.
“Just… How?” He asked no one in particular, gazing wide eyed at the tiny, frail being laying there, bundled in blankets. He picked it… No, her up and held her close to his chest.
It was a newborn puppy, it had white fur with a large chestnut splotch over her back, all the way down to her tail. Her ears were a darker brown along with a long tuft of fur on the top of her head. Robert stood there for a moment, reaching for her long muzzle and ears, the rubbing seemed to calm her down.
“We found it inside, no signs of the baby though” Their doctor clarified to him.
“Then I think she's right here, right?” Robert changed his stance so the pup would be more visible. “It’s… surprising but it happened, she's right here in my arms, no doubt about it. A healthy dog, I know one when I see it, trust me.” He laughed, nervous but relieved that in a way, it all went well.
“Right… So maybe it would be best if you showed it to your wife and explained what happened, I will be right beside you.” The doctor said with the same slightly detached and shocked tone that all the others used.
It did not go well.




Chapter One

Her eyes tracked the words as she typed them, a set of swift paws was all she had but she made do. She was used to typing like this, even if it tired her out quicker than her colleagues. Amelie pushed her glasses back against her wide snout and wondered if it would even be worth it, being a professor would be so much work compared to what she did at the library and for that she would have to ask for so many extra accommodations. She hated bothering people, it drew so much attention to herself, so many stares. People here were used to her and she could go about her work day without her existence bothering anyone else, and she liked the kids as much as the kids liked her. Despite all this, she kept typing her resume as the feeling she was missing something in her life wouldn’t go away.
Amelie lowered her head onto her desk, resting her long snoot and sighed. She wondered what Vivian would do tonight, she wanted a distraction even if that meant Viv would have a chance to ask her to babysit again. “Oh, borzois are great with children aren’t they?” Viv would tell her every time Amelie laid exhausted on her couch as she got back home, and her kids were by all means great, she could not imagine babysitting some of the brats that came to the library on those dreaded school trips.
“So, what 's up? been wanting to grab a drink or something, lemme know.” She typed Vivian.
Going out to drink with Vivian was an interesting experience, Amelie liked how extroverted she was, it helped detract attention from herself anywhere they went together. They met initially in college, where Vivian simply glued on her and they have been friends since then.
“OMG I’ll check if i can, been seeing this guy and he might have time to meet today.” she replied with a heart emoji.
“Glad for you girl!” She rolled her eyes, that could lead to so many potentially awkward moments between them, she was glad though.
“And hey, we still have to find a guy for you! Maybe this time we’ll find the one~”
“I really don't think I want to meet men that are into me, like at all. Just think about for a second, Viv” She pressed send with an expression of infinite cringe on her face.
“Awww you’ve been so gloomy lately, it's not fair with yourself babe”
Amelie pushed her phone away and closed her laptop. She would check on Vivian again later, but first she had to find out how her interns were doing.
She took her phone in her mouth, hopped down from the chair and moved quickly through the hallways until she reached the back of the building where her interns Michael and Kay were sorting the new donations. Amelie was glad she was as tall as she was, opening doors wasn’t too complicated compared to her human colleagues. Both interns were kneeled over a massive pile of books, sorting them into smaller piles.
Amelie spat her phone onto a shelf and went closer to them.
“So how have you two been managing? I still don’t know who let all of these come in at once but this is great practice for you actually” She asked, half-apologetical.
“I think most of these are trash, ma’am.” said Michael, scratching his dark, curly hair.
“It would be great if people stopped taking stuff from the garbage bin for us, because I'm sure most of these are damp.” answered Kay.
“Just make sure to look for newer releases, people always come in looking for these and they might be better preserved than the rest.” She went around the piles with the mostly intact books and pushed a few aside with her muzzle.”Then get them stickered and tagged in the system like I told you. But i think you two are doing a great job, considering the condition of these”
“What about the rest Ma’am?” inquired Michael, already not liking what he was likely going to hear.
Amelie lowered her ears and tail.
“Can you… Bag all of these and put them back outside? If you don't, I'm afraid they’ll start molding and it will spread to the good pile. Sorry, if I could get someone to do this I would but everyones so busy, y’know.” She looked the other way as she answered, it was not easy to ask for so much from her interns every time but what could she do, she had no thumbs.
“Miss Gallucci, when you make those puppy eyes, I just cant say no.” Michael said with a giggle. Kay did her best to hold down a laugh and looked the other way.
Amelie started laughing and wagging her tail vigorously “Sorry, it just happens sometimes. What do you two want to have for lunch? it’s almost 1pm.”
Michael would insist on having lunch with Amelie in her office, it had become a habit for them, before that she would eat by herself. They were both sitting on the floor, Amelie with her takeout container on the ground while Michael just held his, his lanky frame almost matching her height while sitting.
“So, you graduate next year right? Do you have any idea of what to do after?” She asked after raising her head from the container.
“Oh I have been looking into a Masters program… Ma’am umm excuse me.” Michael pulled a napkin from his takeout bag and cleaned some sauce from her face. “Y- Yes at Norfolk, maybe? Do you think I can get in?”
“It’s one of those things in life where all you can do is get as ready as you can and then hope for the best. But I can help you arrange all the papers beforehand so you don't take any chances, I think you’d do well there and it's not a bad place at all to spend that one year.”
Amelie noticed Michael was looking straight at her while she ate, and suddenly felt all flustered, as there was no disgust or cringe visible on his face. All he did was smile warmly at her. She raised her face and looked back at him, the sight of a dog’s muzzle all matted with food not changing his expression even a little. Amelie felt her heart sank to her stomach and nervously swallowed, she absolutely detested the awkwardness that came with these social situations, was he faking it to look nice to her? He wouldn't come and have lunch with her so often if he did.
“Amelie are you okay?” He asked as soon as he noticed the rising panic in her body language.
“Oh I-I’m so-sorry, just not used to people being with me while I eat.” She gave out a whine.
“Oh dear, I didn't mean to make you feel like this!” he got closer and scratched behind her ear while wiping her mouth again. “There's nothing to be ashamed of, it's just how you are right? It’s just that you really turn into someone else when you're being passionate about things, and I really like seeing it.”
Amelie rested her forehead on his chest, giving out a long, muffled whine. Was he being honest with her? She wanted to believe he was. He kept stroking the long curly fur of her neck for some time, before she raised herself and hopped on her chair.
“Thank you Michael, that meant a lot for me.” She said, looking at him. Maybe he did understand her, at least more than most people.
“Would you like it if I took all of this away for you?” He said already shoving his container and other trash inside the paper bag it came in.
She nodded, wagging her tail to show she was appreciative, even though she wasn't sure of what she felt at that time. Michael stood in front of her after gathering it all, he was smiling again.
“Thanks for the advice, Amelie, and trust me, I won't tell this to anyone.” He left the office and Amelie once again looked at her resume, unsure if she’d manage all that she had to do to change careers.
As she finally rested her ass on her couch at the end of the day, she pulled her phone from her purse and checked Vivians messages.
“Oh what if we go to the Hole? He may or may not join us there later, I'm still not sure.” Vivian had sent it to her a few hours ago.
“Sure, if you're still up for it, I can be there in an hour.” She sent it back as a voice message.
The Hole was a spot they went to regularly, so regularly they didn't need to say what beer they wanted anymore. This pleased her, meeting someone new was always a better experience at places where you knew all the staff and exits. Now, she didn’t feel like going there wearing the blouse and skirt she wore at the library the whole day so she slipped out of them and took a look at what she had, eventually changing into a turtleneck and a plaid skirt.
That bar was the kind of place that followed Vivian’s aesthetic to a T, even if she didn't dress like a punk that often anymore. They had fond memories of the time they spent together going to these kinds of places and all other sorts of strange adventures back in their college days. Amelie wasn’t so sure it would have been as fun without Vivian there but at the same she knew she never would have felt safe away from her friend group anyway.
She paced around her small apartment, unsure of what else she needed to do before leaving. It was spacious for what it was though, there was just one bedroom and the living room with a small kitchen attached, most of the walls were covered in bookshelves and special editions of her favorite novels. It was one of the few things she liked spending money on, the other being delivery for almost all of her meals.
She left her building and not even half a block out, Vivian showed up in her car.
“Don’t say you didn't ask for a ride, because I already knew that.” Vivian said so loudly as she rolled the window down. The door was open before Amelie was even close to the car, she hopped in and Vivian shut it for her.
“But I will still say, you didn’t have to” Amelie sighed.
“Honey you live in the same street as the Hole, nice sweater though.”
“Thanks, I don't miss it when I can't find stuff that would fit me and look cute,” Amelie said, wagging her tail. “So, tell me about him”
Vivian pursed her lips, giving Amelie a wide-eyed look.
“You of all people want to know about my situationships?”
“Look, it's been years since you dated anyone, i just wanna know” Amelie growled back.
“His name is Carlos, he's a programmer but I have no idea of what he actually does, 36, from the Dominican Republic and has been here for a few years.” she quickly shot back her memorized description of him.
Amelie opened her maw to speak but Vivian interrupted her.
“And yes i have briefed him about you, he thinks you're the most incredible thing on planet earth and i told him to hold back on just interviewing you the whole time we are there.” She added.
“Great, thanks Viv.” Amelie said curling up on the chair. “Wish being me wasn’t so exhausting.”
“Trust me, If i ever get tired of helping you’ll know.”
Vivian stroked Amelie’s neck for a while, not long after they arrived at the bar and entered the dimly lit environment. The smell of that place was an acquired taste, at least more to Amelie than to the other customers, she could smell spilled alcohol, each of the smokers and the lingering smell of greasy food that was stuck to the industrial decoration.
“Amelie! Viv! Where the heck have you both been?”
It was Kate, the manager. the older blond lady hurriedly moved closer to them, a bright smile beaming across her red cheeks..
“Hey! Oh we both have been so busy, you have no idea!” Said Vivian in between a bunch of giggles. “We both have been trying to get our shit together again, Amie a job and me my love life.
“Ah! I’ll have to hear about it in time. So, Two chilled mugs, an IPA, one straw and a pillow?” She asked, pointing first at Vivian, then at Amelie.
“Yes, we might be three soon so we’d like a table actually.” Amelie added, raising her paw to make herself more noticeable.
“Right away!” Kate fistbumped the raised paw. “Super glad things are coming together for you two by the way. You may sit against that wall, that table was just bussed” She pointed in that general direction and went to get their drinks.
They were seated and enjoying their beers in no time, and the bar wasn't too full, just like Amelie liked it. She laid both her front legs on the table to stretch them and yawned, relaxed and momentarily pleased with her evening.
“So there's someone you want to talk about? it's been a long time since we went out so there must be a reason for you to say yes” Vivian asked casually while swiping on her phone. “He sure isn't showing up in your socials though”
Amelie’s heart sank, remembering her earlier situation with Michael and her suspicions, then remembered she had a safe subject to talk about.
“Oh! I’m applying for a lecturing position at University of Richmond!” She said as fast as she could, as if she would let the other subject slip in if she took too long.
“Hell yea, girl! Gotta prove ‘em the D in your PHD doesnt stand for dog!” Vivian said loudly, laughing at her own joke, Amelie laughed along too, with plenty of tail wagging.
“Yea, making me hecking nervous too, it would be like starting over at the library again when it comes to my colleagues getting used to me, plus all those new kids every semester, plus requesting accommodations. I’m just so tired of it all already.” she said, drooping her ears and her snoot, staring down at her beer and watching her straw slowly sink and then rise again.
“Amelie you’re turning 40 this year, you’re sure you don’t wanna try something a little more exciting once in your life? If you’re that afraid of change, then remember that you wouldn't have to move to work there. It’s not that far from here.” She said gesticulating with her free hand before drinking from her mug with the other.
“Oh c’mon, i do go out with you, and hang out with you and your kids, your friends…”
“See?” Vivian crossed her arm. “I think it would do you good to be somewhere you’d be doing something other than typing on spreadsheets and dealing with documents for most of the day.”
Amelie rested her snoot on her paw, looking straight up at Vivian.
“Okay I’ll try”
“Oh you two are just amazing aren’t you?”
“Carlos!” Vivian almost jumped from her chair as she heard him from behind her, and turned around to wave at him as kept coming closer, smiling. He was tanned and his short black hair already had signs of graying, so he sat next to Vivian and took off his jacket, revealing some muscle definition on his arms. For a second Amelie thought of how dating someone like him would be like, and hated herself for it, she wanted to be happy for her friend.
“Hey, it's nice to meet you” She said with some difficulty to hide her anxiety.
“Amelie, hey!” Carlos put his hand in front of him, Amelie realized what he meant by that and put her paw in his hand, then he shook it. “Nice to meet you, you look stunning.”
“Been a long time since someone shook my paw, actually” She said, impressed.
“You're welcome.” He said as he gestured for a waitress to bring him a beer.
Taking a glance at her paw, Amelie thought of Michael and his long slender fingers. They were very much not like Carlos and yet it was the first thing that came to mind.
The memory of that hand soothing her earlier today came back, and for a moment she wanted to feel it again.
They were both two awkward maladjusted dorks, would they work? Why did she want this so badly, when it could nuke so much of what she achieved if it went wrong?
Carlos’s voice brought her mind back to the bar.
“So you two have been friends for how long again?” Amelie realized too late he was analyzing her pained expression.
“College, and then later we reconnected and became roommates when I came here for my PHD.”
“She's a great roommate if you're ok with her filling your place with fur and then having to do all the vacuuming yourself.” Vivian told Carlos with the most deadpanned face she could manage.
“Doesn't sound worse than having a retriever in my opinion.” Carlos commented with a chuckle.
“And everything in your house has teeth marks, your kids included.”
“You try doing chores and babysit with no thumbs!” Amelie growled back.
“”Hey, that's a fair point, don't be too harsh on her, Vivvie.” Asserted Carlos.
“I’m just teasing, she knows it.” Vivian said, petting the curly fur on her ear.
“Human female”
“Bitch”
“Oh God we are still the same dumbasses” They both said as they laughed.
The warm air blew right onto Amelie’s face as they drove back from the bar, she hated how much of a lightweight she was, two beers and then she had to quit, every time. But what a great time she had, one of those rare moments where she forgot her issues and felt like one of the girls.
“So when's the next time?” She asked Vivian.
“Gotta be at my place, don't wanna abuse my folk’s goodwill all that often.” She answered as she parked the car in front of Amelie’s apartment.
“Pizza for four then, no problem” Amelie yapped as she licked Vivians cheek.
“Daww, you're a sweetheart.”
“Vivian, if there were someone I'm into, but it just wasn’t right and I knew it wasn't going to last…”
“Stop with the Ifs dear, I'm not an idiot, and I'm also not surprised, I always knew you weren't a nun.”She said with a giggle, petting under Amelie’s muzzle. “But you gotta stop degrading yourself like this, it's not okay. You can love people, even if it's a little more complicated.”
“I wouldn't say a little!” Amelie barked back. “And i can't date him regardless, even if i were sure he likes me.”
“He's married.” Vivian said slouched over the wheel, not particularly at anyone.
“No!”
“Gay?”
Amelie growled, headbutting the backrest.
“Please don't tell me he's your intern…” Vivian asked her, getting increasingly worried.
Amelie nodded.
Vivian stared at Amelie, then downwards for a second before closing her eyes and taking a deep breath.
“Well i don't blame you, if it's the first time anyone showed interest it makes sense you’d get attached but… Jesus Amelie I would never ever guess you're a cougar.”
“I’m not sure if I’m more afraid of him for liking me or for what could happen if the rest of the staff finds out.” Amelie rested her head on Vivians lap and let go of a long whine. “But I like how this feels.”
Vivian pulled Amelie into a tight hug.
“Daww my puppygirl is in love”
“yea… Maybe I just need to rest, it all happened today by the way and I'm basically sleepwalking and half drunk so I should not think about this too hard.” She closed her eyes and gave out a long sigh.
“Do you want me to carry you upstairs?” Vivian asked as she gently played with Amelie’s fuzzy curls.
“No way” She couldn't do more than wiggle her legs and turn her neck away.
“Dear, you're not even 60 pounds.”
“Wow, calling me fat now?”
Amelie eventually let her carry her home, and when she was all warm and snuggly under her blanket she did want to thank Vivian, but it didn't take too long for her to fall asleep.